SEARCY – Emma Roberts scored her second hat-trick of the season as the Harding women's soccer team defeated Northwestern Oklahoma 5-2 Thursday in Great American Conference action at the Stevens Soccer Complex.

Harding improves to 4-6-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the GAC.

Northwestern Oklahoma falls to 4-6-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the GAC.

GOALS

Harding 1, Northwestern Okla. 0 – 5th minute – Carmen Gunn sent in a cross to Emma Roberts who scored her seventh goal on the season.

Harding 2, Northwestern Okla. 0 – 12th minute – Emma Roberts dribbled through the defense and found the back of the net off her left foot.

Harding 3, Northwestern Okla. 0 – 12th minute – Kelli Tindel's shot rebounded off the goalkeeper and fell to Carmen Gunn who found the back of the net for her third goal of the season.

Harding 4, Northwestern Okla. 0 – 39th minute – Emma Roberts converted a penalty kick to complete the hat-trick.

Harding 4, Northwestern Okla. 1 – 58th minute – Alyssa Nunez found the back of the net off a rebound from her own shot. It was her third goal of the season.

Harding 5, Northwestern Okla. 1 – 90th minute – McKenna Moore sent a cross from the left side that found the head of Briley-Anne Brown for the goal. It was her second goal of the season.

Harding 5, Northwestern Okla. 2 – 90th minute – Beth Wortham sent a cross to Gisselle Holguin who immediately found Briley Pennington for her first goal of the season.

STATS

Harding took 17 shots, nine were on goal. Emma Roberts led the Lady Bisons with seven shots.

Roberts' hat-trick was the 27th hat-trick in program history. It was just the fourth hat-trick in the first half. It was Roberts second hat-trick of the season. She scored three against Ozarks earlier this season. It was also the second hat-trick Harding has scored against Northwestern Oklahoma. Bethany Sutherland had the other hat-trick in 2017.

Harding moves to 26-0-0 when it scores a hat-trick in a game.

Northwestern Oklahoma took nine shots, four were on goal. The Rangers only had one shot in the first half.

Payton Milby played the full 90 minutes in goal for Harding and had two saves.

NEXT UP

Harding will be back in action Saturday when it hosts Southwestern Oklahoma at 11 a.m., at the Stevens Soccer Complex.